Rabbis Prepare, Pray, and Ponder Before the High Holidays
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – 19 ELUL 5779 JEWISHVOL 44, NO 2 JOURNALJEWISHJOURNAL.ORG Rabbis prepare, pray, and ponder before the High Holidays By Michael Wittner Jews,’” said Perlman. “But at least JOURNAL STAFF they come, and at least they have some reason for coming, and During Elul, the month they’re relying on the messenger before the start of the High of the people to get their message Holidays, the shofar is sound- across to God …and they require ed every morning. After a slow the professional who’s trained to summer, this can have a jar- talk to God to do it for them.” ring effect, and that’s exactly To prepare for the spiritual, the point. emotional, and logistical chal- “It’s a quiet summer, most lenges of facilitating a meaning- rabbis take a few weeks off in ful experience for hundreds of the summer, nobody plans bar people, rabbis begin by turn- mitzvahs, and then boom! We ing inward. Some prefer quiet blast the shofar every morning, meditation, like Schusterman, and then you get in the spir- who swears off the noise and it,” said Rabbi David Cohen- chatter of his smartphone until Henriquez of Temple Sinai in after Yom Kippur, and instead Marblehead. goes to Lynch Park in Beverly to But what exactly is that spir- read, write, and think in front of it? What should it be, and how Rabbi David Meyer Rabbi Richard Perlman Rabbi Nechemia Schusterman the ocean. Perlman opts for a does it actually play out? The slightly louder form of medita- High Holidays – Rosh Hashanah, Rabbis on the North Shore “If I could move one person, if Peabody, finds joy in serving as tion – he says he does some of Sept. 29-Oct. 1, and Yom Kippur, see the High Holidays as a rare I move 100, 300 people – if I can a conduit between God and his his best thinking while mowing Oct. 8-9 – are an exceptionally chance to connect many people move anyone slightly further in congregation, including those his lawn. busy and important time for with God, and they take that task their Judaism, even if it’s simply who rarely attend services. “I The rabbis spend the month synagogues. These solemn, holy very seriously. to have a greater passion and joy was always taught that on Rosh before the High Holidays pre- days are the only time of year “The goal is to connect in their Judaism, then mission Hashanah and Yom Kippur, paring as many as four sermons, when most of the congregation and move people,” said Rabbi accomplished.” people who come specifically which means a lot of reading. is in the synagogue, ready to Nechemia Schusterman of Rabbi Richard Perlman for that – people sometimes say, “We’re a very sermon-centric pray and to listen. Chabad Lubavitch of Peabody. of Temple Ner Tamid, also in ‘Oh, they’re three-times-a-year continued on page 18 Books that will delight kids Jay and Shira Ruderman receive on the High Holidays Jacob Rader Marcus Award By Penny Schwartz CINCINNATI – The JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT American Jewish Archives last night honored Jay and Usher in the Jewish New Year with a crop of new children’s books for the High Shira Ruderman with the Holidays and Sukkot. Kids of all ages will enjoy cracking open the covers of these Jacob Rader Marcus Award, stories that glow with the warmth and joy of Jewish traditions. in recognition of their ongo- ing efforts to expose Israelis “Whale of a Tale” to the American Jewish Eric A. Kimmel; illustrations by Ivica community and strengthen Stevanovic ties between the two. The Ages 6-10 ceremony took place at the historic Cincinnati Campus Master tale-weaver Eric A. Kimmel takes of Hebrew Union College - school-age kids on a rollicking time-travel Jewish Institute of Religion. adventure back to ancient Israel at the time For years, the Ruderman of Jonah, a perfect story in advance of Yom Family Foundation has Kippur when the Book of Jonah is read during worked to educate Israelis synagogue services. In this third installment of about American Jewry Kimmel’s Scarlet and Sam chapter book series, and that community’s sig- the adventure begins when the twin sister nificant impact on Israel’s and brother mistakenly leave their Grandma future. The Foundation’s Mina’s special Persian rug in the trunk of a cab programs in this sector driven by a man named Jonah. Suddenly, they have included the estab- are transported to ancient Israel, where they lishment, at the University stow away on a ship and reunite with Jonah. of Haifa, of Israel’s only They learn he is the prophet who is avoiding academic program focused God’s directive to travel to Nineveh. The light- exclusively on studying the hearted caper introduces kids to the outlines of the biblical tale, as Sam, Scarlet, American Jewish commu- Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family and Jonah go overboard and are swallowed up in the belly of a big fish. The clever nity, as well as the organi- Foundation; Shira Ruderman, Executive Director of the siblings are determined to get Jonah to be true to his faith and to get their grand- zation of numerous visiting Ruderman Family Foundation; and Dr. Gary P. Zola, mother’s rug back. Ivica Stevanovic’s animated illustrations embellish the story. Executive Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center continued on page 16 continued on page 21 of the American Jewish Archives. The Jewish Journal is a nonprofit newspaper supported by generous readers, committed advertisers and charitable organizations. Email [email protected]. 2 THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 NOW OPEN! Andover’s Newest Senior Living Community Now welcoming new residents Living well means the freedom to have quality care and a lifestyle without worry. We take care of the details so you can spend quality time with family, meet new friends, learn something new or simply enjoy life. Life at Stone Hill includes: Three delicious daily meals Housekeeping Transportation 24-hour care associates Full calendar of activities and so much more! Join us! Courtyard Conversations - meet Dale Rogers! Monday, September 23rd | 4:00 pm | rsvp required Contact Dina: 978.664.2600 or email: [email protected] We’re located at: 141 Elm Street in Andover, MA Visit online: StoneHillAndover.com THE JEWISH JOURNAL – JEWISHJOURNAL.ORG – SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 3 On the High Holidays, memories of growing up Jewish By Michael Wittner Singer sewing machine, along fleisch (an Ashkenazi pot roast), JOURNAL STAFF with his baseball caps. along with matzah ball soup Arthur only wore that yar- and apples and honey. PEABODY – “The memories mulke on the High Holidays, Just like his wife’s bubbe, – they’re still as clear as day,” which was the only time of year Arthur’s grandmother cooked said Margo Suckney in a little he went to the Chestnut Street a whole meal from her head. alcove of the Harriett and Ralph Shul. “Necessity knows no laws “When somebody asked her Kaplan Estates, an assisted liv- – you had to go,” he said. “If you what to do, she’d say, ‘A pinch ing facility in Peabody where were Jewish, you had to go.” He of this, a pinch of that’ – she residents sip coffee and look didn’t mind services too much, had everything in her mind, and out the window. Outside, the because he went to Chelsea never wrote anything down,” he sky was a cloudless cobalt, bril- Hebrew School and knew some said. liantly clear. of the prayers. What’s more, On Yom Kippur, Arthur and The first leaves are getting back in the ’40s and ’50s, the his family followed up his bub- red around the edges, and shul was completely full, and be’s break the fast with a tradi- another year is coming to an Arthur enjoyed being with the tion just as Jewish: they went end. Margo and Arthur Suckney other neighborhood kids, some out for Chinese food. recently sold their house in of whom he only saw once a Arthur and Margo moved Peabody to move into assisted year. to Everett after they married, living. Amidst all the change, the But services were long – the because neither wanted to couple uses the High Holidays Margo and Arthur Suckney traditional Orthodox services move to the other’s home city. as an opportunity to indulge lasted from early in the morning In the ’80s, they relocated to in an ancient Jewish pastime: the Jewish delicacies,” she said. teach women in those days. till the sun set – and the sanc- Peabody, where they attend- remembering. Jews could get everything Arthur says the women up in tuary was hot. “We didn’t stay ed Temple Ner Tamid on the Margo, 74, remembers her they needed on Shirley Avenue, the balcony in his shul used to the whole day – you left after High Holidays. Margo taught bubbe’s kitchen on the High and Margo remembers walking spend the High Holiday services you got nauseated and hot and Hebrew school, and learned the Holidays, just off Shirley Avenue down a street where everyone gossiping, and it irritated the sweaty because they didn’t have prayers no one taught her as a in Revere, where she and her waved to her as she walked by. cantor. “The women would be air conditioning,” said Arthur. girl. They invited over friends two sisters were the “little bala- For a while, it was her whole up in the back, men in front, Out in the fresh air, Arthur went and she cooked some of their busta” assistants.